Sparker device.



E. SGHIETZEL.

SPARKER DEVICE.

APPLIGgTloN FILED uns, 1908.

Patented De. 8, 1908.

30 and means positioned on eartlrfor supplying current to said line ERICH SCHIETZEL, OF WILKESJARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

emanan nevica.y

To 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERICH Sorrrnrzni.,a snbyect of the Emperor' of Germany, re-

siding at lll/Tilkes-Barre, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmp-rovements in Sparlrer Devices; and I do hereby.

declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled'in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in means for exploding lblasting charges -in inines, and particularly to means that may be operated upon the surface of the ground to explode one or more blasting charges Within the inine.

The invention comprises the provision of a switch. designed to be manually operated,

for connecting a blasting charge across the line of a pair of line Wires, and means for throwing current on the said line wires for diechaigine said blasting charge and for at' the same The invention further comprises means that may be arranged in various parts of the mine for connecting blasting charges to Wires adapted to carry electrical current, the surface of the Wires and said blasting charges, Whenever desired.

lThe object in View is the provision of a switching device arranged to be placed in each chamber ot' a mine, and to be connected to the line Wires extending to the surface of the earth, and to also be connected to the fuse of a blasting charge so that' Wh n the 40 current is turned on said line wires ea' inding to the surface of the earth, said fuse Will be ignited.

' Another object in View is the provision of a switching device connected to a fuse and connected to line wires extending to the surface of the earth so that when the line Wires are charged with current, the fuse will be ignited, and the sivitchractuated for automatically igniting a second fuse of a series after the first fuse is ignited.

With these and further objects in View, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying'drawing, the figure speciacaapn'oi Letters Patent.

time energizing means for throw- 25 ing said switch.

.9. The catch 7 is Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

exploded by some means, as for instance, by

fuse or electrical spark, and during the eX- plosion, the miners must take a position considerably distant from the explosion so as to not be affected thereby, and so as to not be in a position Where any caving-in of the mine Will be likely. p In order to provide a device in which the miner may set his explosive charge and fuse,rand then leave the vicinity of the charge or leave the mine if desired, I have provided a switch l inclosed in a suitable housing, and aplnralty oi wirings connected thereto and to a fuse and also to a source ot' current. In applying the present invention, thesame may be applied to one of the line Wires 2 of the mine, or may be provided With a complete metallic circuit of its own as may seein most desirable. The

`switch 1 is provided with suitable trame- Worlr ci' housing that has an electro-magnet 3 secured thereto. rl`he electro-magnet 3 is provided with an armature 4 that extends into the magnet 3 any desirable distance and encaves a s rino` 5 that normall tends to b b b force outward armature 4. Formed on armature 4 is an extension 6, arranged to engage a catch 7 either at notch 8 or'notch provided with a stop 10, against which the extension (3 rests when the catch 7 is in its outer position. Stop l0 also is designed to be engaged by spring l1 that encircles one end of catch 7,

A stop l2 is also provided, through which catch 7 is designed to reciprocate and to act as a stop or shoulder for one end ot spring 1l, so that spring ll may at all times exert a tendency upon catch 7 to force the same in anouter position, :is shown in full lines in the drawing. Rigidly secured to one end of catch 7 are a plurality of contact members 13, 14 and l5. ,These contactniembers are insulated from each other at and 34, and also from catch 7 at35, by any desired hind of insulation, so as to prevent any sparking or short circuiting of the current.

One ofthe line wir-cs2 is connected to a binding post 1G, which in turn is connected to the Winding of magnet Connected to the opposite end of the winding, is a Wire 17, which in turn is connected to contact i3. Wire i7 also has a branch i8 that is attached lll) to binding post 1S), which in turn is connected w ii n a fuse 2t), used in discharging a blasting charge ot' any desired kind. The t'use Ltl is also ctainect'ed to one ot' the wires 2, so that when current passes from line wire 2 to'the magnet 3 through binding post 16, current will also pass through fuse 20, binding post. 1t), wire 1S, wire 17 and on to flexible contact 13.

in operation, the fuse 20 is placed in position in an explosive charge of any desired hind, at any desired place in the mine, and then the fuse 2t) is connected to one ofy the wires 2 and to binding post 19. After this has been done, catch 7 is forced inward against action of spring 11, until extension t5 is in engagement with the notch 9. When catch T is moved to this position, the flexible or spring contacts 13, 11 and 15 are moved to the dotted position, and the central contact 14v is permitted to spring or move over against. contact 13, as clearly shown in dotted line. A. suitable contact member 21 is provided for bridging the space between members 155 and 1-1 when member 151 is permitted to take its normal position, shown in dotted lines in the drawing. then catch T is l'orccd to the rear, member 1-1 will also he t'orced to the rear, and move from beneath armature. -l, which normally holds the` samtl in the position shown in t'ull lines with the bridging member 21 in contact with contact member l5. After the contact members 121, 1-1Y and l5 have been moved to the dotted position, the device is set ready to be exploded when switch Y2 is closed.v \Vl1en a miner, in any ot' the chambers or parts of the mine, ha set the switch by properly connecting t'use 2t) to the line 2 and to the binding post lt), and then pushed catch 'T to the dotted position shown in the drawing,

he leaves his placc'and goes to some place ot'- safety, as for instance, the surface ot the. ground. 'lhc various other minersl also set their l'uses and t'orce their various' catches Y.

inward, as may be desired, and then also go to the surl'ace ot the ground preparatory to vexploding the various charges placed in position by them. 't'ter thc-miners have all reached the ground, switch is closed. 'lhc current passing from battery 23 will llow through wire2lto wire 2 and thence to fuse 2t), through iuse 2O to binding post 1t), wire. lo', wire 1T and contact 13, contact 1-1, wire 25, binding post 2G, wire 27, wire 28, back to the source of current 23, through switch 22. lhen the current iows in this circuit, it will form a spark in fuse 20 and ignite the same so as to explode the explosive charge to which the fuse is secured. At the same instant that the current liows through fuse 20, it also branches olil and flows through binding post 1G, windings of magnet 3, Wire 17, contact 13, contact 14, Wire 25, binding post 26, Wire 2i', wire 2S, and from thence to the source of current through switch 22. As the current flows through the windings of magnet armature 4 will be moved upward, and extension t3 will be moved out of notch t) into which the same drops when catch 7 was forced to the aboveposition in the drawing. As soon as armature 4 and extension G are raised, catch 7 will be immediately moved by spring` 11 to the position shown `in the full lines on the drawing.

The fuse 2O is ignited practically at the same time the magnet.- 8 is energized, the ignition of the fuse serving to break the circuit in which it was interposed prior to the explosion, and as soon as the explosion takes place` the switch 22 is momentarily opened thereby deenergizing the magnet 3 permitting its arnniture or core 1l to drop to t'ull line position in the drawings. 'lhis movement of the core ot the magnet will bring the contact point of th'e contact'. l-l into engagement with the contact 15 and the circuitwill be closed, except for the `switch 22, through the system ot' wiring in which lthe second fuse and circuit closing device is interposed, closing ot' the switch 2') serving to complete the said circuit' and actuatc the second circuit closing device just mentioned, exploding the second l'use.

ln mines, line wires-as 2 are provided for supplying lamps 29 with current lor lighting the mine in any desired wey. 'lo one ot these line wires is secured any desired number ot' switches as l, which use as a return. wire 2S, binding postl 2li, wire 25, contact 1-1. contact 15, wire. 30, and wire 3l.

'ire 3l is connected to.binding post32 in the tirst switch as l, and to the binding post as 26 in the second switch, as 1. The biliding post C12 ot' 'the second switch is connected by wire 3l to the binding post as 2G of the third switch as 1, and so on until the mine is completely wired. lt' the fuse 2O is not provided or set in the firstl switch as '1, current will pass over wire 2 to the `second switch as l, and ai'ter doing its worl; there,

will ret'urn over 211. wire St), contact 15, contact. ll, wire 25, binding post 26, wire 27, wire 28, and back to the source of current 23 through switch 22.`

ln tracing the circuit it will be observed that there is a principal circuit and a plurality of auxiliary circuits. When switch 22 is closed current passes through first the principal circuit and one of the auxiliary circuits, and then the other auxiliary circuits as'the various switches are operated. Immediately upon the closing of the principal circuit the 'electromagnet is energized, whereby the core 4 moves and permits the current to be switched to a second auxiliary circuit. vBy thus constructinga principal circuit and a plurality of auxiliary circuits when the principal circuit is closed current lio4 is lett to pass through the saine and one of the auxiliary circuits after which that particular auxiliary circuit is cut out and a second auxiliary circuit is switched in with the principal circuit whereby the various fuses receive a spark,

lfVhat I claim is 1. In a circuit closing system of the class described, a principal circuit, a plurality ot' auxiliary circuits, a plurality of contacts in the principal circuit and in each of the auxiliary circuits, two of the contacts being normally in engagement, an electro-magnet in the principal circuit, a core for the magnet, the said core being arranged to engage with one ofthe said contacts upon denergization of the magnet to move the said contact into engagement with the remaining one of the plurality of contacts and thereby close the circuit through the next succeeding auxiliary circuit, and a switch interposed in the principal circuit andconnnon to all of the circuits.

2. In a circuit. closing device of the class described a principal circuit, an auxiliary circuit, normally engaging contacts in the principal circuit, a third contact in lthe auxiliary circuit, an electro-magnet, a core for the magnet, the said core being arranged to engage with one of the lirst mentioned contacts upon denergiza'tion. of the magnet to bring the. said contact into engagement with the contact in the auxiliary circuit to connect the said circuit with the principal circuit, and a switch in the principal circuit common to both circuits.

3. In a circuit closing device of the class described7 an electro-magnet, a set of three contacts, a plunger carrying said contacts,

two of the contacts being normally in engagement, a core for the electro-magnet engaged normally with the plunger to hold the same with the contacts outv of position for engagement by the core of said magnet, the said plunger being arranged to be released upon energization o the said magnet, a spring acting to shift the plu-nger when so' released to bring the contacts into operative position with respect to the coreof the magnet, denergization ot the magnet acting to release said core whereby said core moves one ot said two tirst mentioned contacts into engagement with the third contact, and a switch interposed in the circuit for the said magnet.

l. In a circuit closing system of the class described, a principal circuit, a plurality ot' auxiliary circuits, a plurality of contacts in the principal circuit and in each ot the auxiliary circuits, two of said contacts being` in engagement at a time, an electro magnet in thc principal circuit, a rcciprocatii'ig arn'iaturc therefor, a projection .secured to said armature, a reciprocating catch carry-v ing said contacts, said armature being adapted to engage one ot' said contacts upon the denergization oli the magnet for moving said contacts, and said projection on said armature being adapted to engage. said catch, and a switch interposed in the principal circuit and connnon to all otsaid circuits.

ln tpstin'iony whereoll l allix my signature in presence ol: two witnesses.

ERICH SGIIIETZEL.

Titnesses EDWARD N. NoLL, W. J. TnnMBi-xrn. 

